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Constipation means pooing less often than usual, or finding poo hard, painful or difficult to pass. It is common: around 10.1% of adults worldwide meet the clinical definition of functional constipation, and prevalence is up to twice as high in women. Most cases improve with simple changes to diet and routine, and it is a very common condition with individual variation in relation to bowel movement. The ones that do not are worth having looked at.
Constipation is a symptom rather than a diagnosis. It describes how your bowels are behaving, not what is behind it. NHS advises it is likely to be constipation if [2]:
You may also have a stomach ache and feel bloated or sick [2].
Where constipation persists and no underlying disease is found, it is called functional constipation. That is the definition behind the figure above, which comes from a global review of 45 studies covering more than 275,000 people, using the Rome IV criteria that specialists use to define it [1]. It is a worldwide figure, not a UK one.
Most constipation is dealt with at home, and NHS advises speaking to a pharmacist when diet and lifestyle changes are not helping [2]. Two situations call for something more than self-care.
Call 999 or go to A&E if: [3]
LivingCare is a specialist outpatient service and is not an emergency care facility. If your symptoms are sudden or severe, call 999.
See a GP, or book a specialist assessment, if you [2]:
NHS also advises speaking to your GP before you stop taking any prescribed medicine [2]. If what concerns you is a recent change in how your bowels work rather than constipation itself, that is covered on our Changes in Bowel Habit page.
Constipation in adults has many possible causes, and sometimes there is no obvious reason. NHS lists the most common as [2]:
Constipation is also common during pregnancy and after giving birth, and it is more common over the age of 65. It can be caused by a medical condition affecting the bowel, such as diverticular disease or bowel cancer - but NHS is clear that this is rare [2]. Bloating often keeps constipation company, and that is covered on our Bloating page.
A visit to your GP or gastroenterology consultation is the starting point - the specialist reviews your symptoms and arranges only the tests they call for. That may mean blood or stool tests and, where the picture calls for it, a Colonoscopy, which examines the lining of the large bowel. Nothing is arranged before someone has heard your history. You can see the full range of digestive diagnostics under our Gastroenterology department, and our article on gut symptoms you should not ignore sets constipation alongside the other digestive symptoms people tend to live with for months.
Self-pay, with no GP referral needed. If you are using medical insurance, your insurer may ask for a GP referral letter.
To have persistent constipation looked at, book a Gastroenterology Consultation.
Medically reviewed by: Dr N. Chandra, Consultant Endoscopist. Last reviewed: 09/10/26
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